


Compromises

by TheSaturnianWildcat



Series: Partners-In-Crime [4]
Category: Villainous (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Paperhat - Freeform, because i live for fluff, it sounds like nsfw but i swear its not, little bit of angst but it ends fluffy, one-shot but will probably have other fics taking place in the same verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 19:20:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11042637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSaturnianWildcat/pseuds/TheSaturnianWildcat
Summary: Black Hat would like to take Dr. Flug to third base but Dr. Flug hasn’t even left for first base. So compromises have to be made. Compromises concerning an integral part of Dr. Flug’s identity.





	Compromises

Black Hat was acting weird. He was almost acting concerned, which for him, was weird. He had been coming in every few hours, asking if Dr. Flug was done with whatever project he was working on. And it wasn’t a case of wanting any one particular project done quickly! In the past two weeks he had been doing it. Flug had finished three projects, none of which Black Hat caught him until after or before he was finished. He’d just come in, ask if it was finished and if it wasn’t, he’d leave with a comment to ‘hurry up, will you?’, at best. No words at all at worse. Considering he used to leave Flug to his own devices for days at a time, only urging him to rush when a deadline was near, this behavior was weird.

  
As he worked on the latest project, Flug pondered what ulterior motives he could have. He wasn’t rushing him too badly, a relief from when Black Hat would dangle the threat of harm over his head if a project wasn’t done within a ridiculous amount of time. Maybe it was because the last few projects before this behavior always had bugs due to this. The last three had worked perfectly and he was congratulated accordingly. Now that he thought about it, that behavior was weird too! He used to only get an order to get on the next one as soon as possible.  
  
Or he could be worried about Flug overworking himself. Flug smacked himself in the face, his bag crinkling at the action. No, that was ridiculous! He was ridiculous! As much as he’d like some concern, it just wasn’t realistic.  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
_Oh, speak of the devil._  
  
He whirled around, the beakers he had been studying shaking in his hands. Black Hat lounged on the wall, looking at him with a disinterested look. Flug swallowed nervously and held up the beakers before answering, “J-just trying to get the combination right, s-sir!”  
  
The current project was a way to breed infighting between heroes. The whole inspiration was a story in the news about a hero group splitting in two after a disagreement about how they should deal with villains that were caught. One group argued that villains could be rehabilitated and the other insisted they should be killed. Cliched but effective. Black Hat quickly shooed Flug back to the lab to create a device that would turn a hero against their allies. Well, Flug had to start by trying to mix the right chemicals together that, when ingested, would breed animosity. A sort of reverse love potion, if you will.  
  
Black Hat looked at the beaker, then back at him, then nodded. He turned around with a flourish of his coat and left without another word. Flug sighed in relief and set one of the beakers down, picking up another with a hot pink chemical inside. He decided to leave the matter of Black Hat’s weird behavior alone…for now.  
  
Another few more hours passed with little noise. He could hear muffled racket from a floor or two above. Must be Demencia, he thought. She had left him alone for the day, which too was weird but not weird enough to ponder. Sometimes she was content with just 5.0.5.'s company. Or maybe Black Hat got her to leave him alone-no, that was ridiculous too! Plus, she’d probably disobey him just to bother Flug. Flug pushed the matter out of his thoughts and focused on getting a precise measurement. A drop of a deep red, almost black, chemical dropped into the chemical mixture, turning it a deep malevolent red. Aha, finally finished!  
  
“Heya!”  
  
_Speak of the devil…again._  
  
Demencia popped up from behind the counter he was working on, grinning a mischievous grin at him. She raised her hand to bat at the newly finished mixture which Flug snatched back quickly. He snapped, “This is the finished one! I don’t want to have to start all over again!”  
  
She huffed and stuck her tongue out. She asked, “So ya gonna show Black Hat?”  
  
“No, it technically isn’t completely finished. It has to be left out until it turns black. That means it had reached maximum potency. Overnight, perhaps?”, he answered, setting it on a high shelf and pushing it against the wall so it wouldn’t be knocked off.  
  
“Are you gonna show him after?”  
  
“Well, he’ll probably check before then…why do you care?”, he asked, turning to her as he raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Just curious! He’s been visiting you a lot so I’m wondering what for…you don’t find it weird?”, she said, setting her head on the counter and eyeing the beakers.  
  
“Of course, I do!”, he said, crossing his arms in defense.  
  
“What are you two yelling about in here? Shouldn’t you be working, Flug?”  
  
_Well, third time’s the charm_ , Flug sighed internally.  
  
He turned around to face his boss and gestured to the beaker, “J-just has to settle to maximum potency, sir! O-overnight!”, he said.  
  
Black Hat stalked over, looking at the beaker then Flug. He nodded in satisfaction before glancing over at Demencia. “I need to talk to the Doctor about something, could we have some privacy?”  
  
“But-!”, Demencia protested.  
  
Black Hat glared as he said in a low dangerous tone, “Let me correct myself: give us some privacy.”  
  
Demencia pouted but scurried away, only pausing to give Flug a glance that said 'I want the details!’  
  
The lab grew quiet, too quiet. Flug could hear himself breathe. The slight crinkling of his paper bag was the only sound cutting through the silence and it wasn’t nearly enough to ease Flug’s worries. Black Hat looked back at the beaker and commented, “So overnight, you say?”  
  
“Y-yes! Then I can put it to use! We could just leave it in its base state and sell it like that, leaving the client to use it as they want…! O-or maybe, weaponize it! Like in a gun or a time released smoke bomb. Y-y'know, like it releases it in a mist form so the hero breathes it in…th-that way multiple heroes can be affected. Or we can sell it both ways and charge more for the smoke bomb! Wh-whatever you-”  
  
“You’re rambling.”, Black Hat cut him off.  
  
Flug bowed his head and mumbled, “I suppose so…”  
  
“No matter. We have to do something anyways.”, Black Hat said and took Flug by the wrist, practically dragging him out of the lab.  
  
It took a few moments for Flug to process his statement before he stumbled after him. He was no stranger to being manhandled by Black Hat but it wasn’t that that had him worried. What did they have to do? Was it an important appointment for a client? No, they were ascending the stairs up to the top floor. Flug swallowed and asked, “What are we doing?”  
  
“You’ll see!”, Black Hat said in a soft but teasing tone.  
  
That was a new tone. That was a new and frankly concerning tone. Flug didn’t know if he liked it at all. His mind scrambled for an explanation, fumbling since this was not one science could answer. He was never the best socially, after all. He looked at the surroundings for more evidence to help him figure this out. Oh. Up here was Black Hat’s bedroom, which he forbade everyone from going near. But this was an invitation, so Flug doubted the rule still applied. Well, if being half-dragged was an invitation.  
  
Wait, one second. Black Hat wasn’t…he couldn’t? Flug’s mind has come to a simple conclusion that conjured images of tossed away clothes and bare skin and clawing and biting and-no, stop that! He wasn’t going to deny he had fantasied about it ( nor would be confirm it though ). But fantasies were fantasies and reality was reality and he wasn’t ready for the reality of this! Before he knew it however, they were in Black Hat’s room and Black Hat was locking the door behind them.  
  
The room, at the very least, was nice. In front of him was Black Hat’s bed, lavish almost to the point of over doing it. It even had red silky drapes around it! At the far side of the room, a large window dominated the wall. However, the curtains were drawn, leaving the room dim. Two hands being set on his shoulders cut his observations short.  
Black Hat asked, “It’s lovely, isn’t it?”  
  
“I…y-yes, sir.”, Flug answered, shaking again.  
  
They stood in silence for a few moments before Flug asked, “Er, what did we need to do?”  
  
Black Hat leaned close, his face just inches away from Flug’s ear before he said softly, “You really need to be told?”  
  
Flug chewed his lip. He didn’t need to be told but he’d rather to be told than say so and be horrifically wrong. “Yes.”, he answered.  
  
Black Hat growled softly, “Liar.”  
  
Flug swallowed again. Why did he think he’d not see through that? He stumbled over his words, “I-I’d rather be told sir…for fear of being right.”  
  
“Fear of being right? Are you telling me you don’t want this?”, Black Hat leaned back, his hand over his chest in mock surprise.  
  
Flug turned to face him, backing away a few steps to allow him space to breathe. “That’s complicated…”, he mumbled.  
  
Black Hat’s eyes narrowed. He snapped, “It’s yes or no question.”  
  
The tone implied Flug was being called an idiot. But it wasn’t his fault that the answer was a yes _and_ no answer. Flug said, “Y-you’re right. Y-yes but no. N-not yet.”  
  
“Not yet!”, he snapped, taking a few steps forward, looking awfully like a predator stalking its prey.  
  
Flug stumbled backward, hands held up in defense. He knew he couldn’t do much to escape if need be but it made him feel better. Flug nodded and explained, “I m-mean just a few weeks ago, you were bullying me around! N-now y-you want to…I assume, have sex? You don’t want to, I dunno…take it slow?”  
  
Black Hat stopped. Flug feared for his life. Silence settled over the room. “Take it slow?”, Black Hat echoed, as if the idea was entirely foreign.  
  
Flug nodded slowly. Black Hat cocked his head to the side, looking not unlike a bird. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked in what Flug thought was legitimate confusion, “But either way, we’re going to get here so why not just skip to the fun part?”  
  
“W-well…it’s just how people do it!”, Flug said quickly.  
  
There were other _personal_ reasons but Black Hat would have to inquire further.  
  
Black Hat crossed his arms, “Well, I’m not a human so those rules simply don’t apply!”, he said.  
  
“B-but I am?”, Flug said, fidgeting with the end of his paper bag.  
  
Black Hat glanced at his fidgeting hand, studying it for a second. He grinned a slow grin, “Aha! That’s why!”  
  
“W-well, I wasn’t lying before!”, Flug said quickly, stumbling back again.  
  
He hit the bed and fell onto it. By the time he sat back up, Black Hat had crossed the room, still grinning triumphantly. Only now, he was looming over him. Flug wondered if it wasn’t too late to make a run for the door. If he was lucky, he’d be out before Black Hat caught him and oh, he would catch him. Black Hat leaned over, setting his hands onto Flug’s legs. Well, there goes the plan to bolt for the door, Flug thought dejectedly. He said quickly, “B-bag or no bag, I’m still not ready for anything like that!”  
  
Black Hat’s eyes narrowed again and he grumbled, “You’re lucky I know better than to force the issue. You see, if I did, you wouldn’t like me so much anymore, would you? Can’t have that. But oh, dear Flug what are we to do, now that we’re here?”  
  
Oh great, they weren’t leaving here until Black Hat got something he wanted. Flug looked down at the plush red carpet, raking his brain for answers. He looked back up once he though of one and asked, “How about a compromise?”  
  
He yelped as Black Hat’s claws dug into his legs. He hissed, “I don’t _do_ compromises, Flug! Don’t you know that?!”  
  
Of course, he did, Flug mentally scolded himself. He had been to enough meetings with clients to know that Black Hat could argue for his price as long as it took. He was pretty good too. Flug couldn’t remember a time where the client had brought the price of a product down. Sometimes they were even tricked into buying it for even more money. Flug feared that now he was not just a bystander to Black Hat’s negotiating tactics. He swallowed nervously, “S-sorry, I do! I just thought-”  
  
“Thought what?!”, Black Hat cut him off.  
  
“That you’d make an exception for me!”, Flug said quickly.  
  
Black Hat narrowed his eyes, drummed his hands on Flug’s legs and stayed quiet. Flug started shaking again, anticipating a slap across the face or more claws digging into his legs. “What’s under the bag.”, Black Hat said.  
  
It was not a question but an order. Flug sadly knew he had pushed back too much and that he couldn’t push it more. He swallowed and grabbed both sides of the bag. He squeezed his eyes shut. Whatever reaction his boss had, he didn’t want to see it. He prepared to pull it off, he could see the action in his mind’s eye. Should just easy as pulling it off. But he couldn’t do it. His hands refused to listen to what he was begging them to do. The pressure on his legs was taken off and Black Hat’s hands gently wrapped around Flug’s wrists. He didn’t go to take it off himself. He just waited. Flug wondered if he was hallucinating. Hallucination or not, it eased his worries so he gently and slowly lifted the bag off his head.  
  
He didn’t open his eyes still, instead focusing on controlling the panicked breathing that had already set in. Black Hat’s hands left his own and took the paper bag out of his hands. Flug didn’t fight it. Why? It wasn’t like it would make Black Hat unsee his face. He felt Black Hat’s hands return to his face, tracing the _scars_ there. Flug hadn’t looked upon his face in a long time but he knew where each awful burn scar was on his face. And now, Black Hat was gently touching each with the sides of his claws. He gently lifted Flug’s head up as he traced one that snaked behind his head and out of sight on his neck. From there, he ran his claws through Flug’s bright ginger hair. Finally, he patted the top of Flug’s head in what Flug hoped was a comforting gesture. Flug opened one eye, looking up at him. Black Hat was smiling ever so softly. Flug didn’t expect that.  
  
Once he saw Flug looking at him, his face morphed back to it’s idle annoyed expression and he snapped a little too quickly, betraying the act behind it, “So is that it?!”  
  
Flug nodded. He shouldn’t point it out, he shouldn’t ask. “You were smiling, sir.”, he asked anyways.  
  
“No, I wasn’t!”  
  
“I think you were?”  
  
“Shut up!”  
  
Flug nodded quickly. He knew what he saw but he didn’t press further. He sat up and mumbled, “Could I leave now…I g-gotta lock up the lab anyways, sir!”, he added a quick excuse at the end.  
  
Black Hat tilted his head, pondering whether to let him go or not. Finally he nodded and stepped back. He paused then added, “If you’d like, you can call me by my name…only in private quarters of course!”  
  
Flug nodded, retrieving his bag from the floor and putting it on his head. He focused on fixing the goggles so they fit over his head. Black Hat’s voice startled him again, “Oh, I do have something I need from you though.”  
  
“Wh-what?”, Flug mumbled, terrified Black Hat was going to push the issue from before again.  
  
“No one knows of this. Demencia, 5.0.5, _no one_. When we film for commercials, videos for clients, what not, we act like we did before. If you tell anyone Flug, I will not end you but you will live regretting your actions for however long you live. Am I clear?”  
  
Flug nodded quickly, practically running for the door. “Oh and Flug?”, Black Hat said, stopping his flight.  
  
“Yes, sir-er, I mean Black Hat?”  
  
Black Hat flashed a grin at him, “Let’s make plans for next time when you’re not busy.”


End file.
